Trim Tab Rivets

[braol]

Is the whole trailing edge of the trim tab supposed to have rivets in it, or are two of the 'rivet holes' supposed to be for water drainage?? There are two holes where it looks like rivets should be...but it look like there were never any rivets there to begin with (unblemished paint where a rivet should be, etc).

[Scott]

Assuming post war aluminium tab... it is spot welded, but there were originally steel rivets of the type used on the engine baffles, filet fairings and various other assemblies, in the holes.

[Robert Lees]

Assuming post war aluminium tab... it is spot welded, but there were originally steel rivets of the type used on the engine baffles, filet fairings and various other assemblies, in the holes.

When I rebuilt my March 1946 aircraft, I found the trailing edge of the trim tab was riveted with aluminium rivets. That may not be original of course. There were no apparent drain holes.

[3Dreaming]

I looked at three post war metal trim tabs. Two were spot welded, one with a couple added rivets. The other had the steel Chicago rivets. No extra drain holes.

[Scott]

This is the post war tab as far as I'm aware.

Those steel rivets tend to be confirmation of factory assembly because typically your average GA shop wouldn't have the capability to set them with the teltail dimple. no idea why they used both spot welds and rivets.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic1u7J-UcH4LRgH5w_nivqQUOP399rFb5Qbl7oJ22_xIipbLb5a3p5kZoWBqEo4pY3i_d19lDDQ71SKd2sjqF2VcfJBZkIwNJmRb2aAeKAns9nZ8gsncR9B4PKnu9Hp5GEWvDQgzVuKlU/s1600/DSCN3156.JPG

[3Dreaming]

The one I looked at that had spot welds with a couple rivets, I think the rivets were a repair and not factory installed. So two spot welded tabs, one with repairs, and one without. One riveted tab with what I assume are factory rivets.

[Hank Jarrett]

I have an early post war wood tab on my 45 and a very late pre war riveted square one on my 42 BC12-65 Deluxe. Looked at LOTS of other ones and kind of starting to think Taylorcraft changed the design more often than their socks.

[braol]

Thanks for the replies (I really need to post a picture). There are definitely rivets in mine (post-war)...well, except in the two middle rows. It is so odd, it doesn't look like there were EVER rivets in the two side-by-side holes. The paint isn't cracked or marred in any way. Thanks for the input.

[Woody]

When I rebuilt my March 1946 aircraft, I found the trailing edge of the trim tab was riveted with aluminium rivets. That may not be original of course. There were no apparent drain holes.

That looks like the homemade trim I built for my clip wing. My 46 bc12d doesn't have a piano hinge. There are two small lugs welded on the elevator and the rod runs through those under the skin.

[EXPlanes]

For the file, trim tab.jpg trim tab rivets.jpg trim tab top 2.jpg attached are pics of my 1983 Ferris F21A trim tab. Simple construction with flattened and riveted trailing edge. One drain hole.